For ages, I didn’t bother, only to learn the hard way when I scorched some wool. If you prefer not to ruin your fashion fabric, follow this guide to making your own press cloth.

Silk organza is extremely strong but fluid, which means it can stand high temperatures and drape nicely over whatever your pressing. Its opaqueness also means you can just about still see what it is your pressing.

If you’re UK based and want high quality silk organza, I strongly recommend English Couture.)

So here’s what I did.

I cut myself a square approximately 16 x 16 inches (40 x 40 cm). I used the selvedge for one side, knowing it wouldn’t fray, and pinked the three other edges. Please note – experience has taught me that pinking alone isn’t enough. See here for a press cloth update.

Why are we using a press cloth? Because pressing the right side of a make can leave shiny marks or scorches that can be impossible to remove. But when making lots of darts with ends that you don’t want to bubble, you’ll be doing a lot of pressing. A lot. Using lots of steam. So that’s why you use a press cloth.

What’s that cute little cat button, Karen?

Well may you ask! It’s a good idea to have a right side and a wrong side for your press cloth. One side that always goes face down. This is because you may also use your press cloth when sealing fusible interfacings to your fabric, and there are always those odd bits of glue that want to stick to your iron. To save your iron, use a press cloth. And to ensure that all that cumulative ickiness stays on one side of your press cloth, have a wrong side. Mark your right side. I marked mine with this cute little button bought from Ray Stitch!

I added a velvet ribbon hanging loop to my press cloth. This means I can hang the press cloth up when I’m not using it, so that it doesn’t become crumpled at the back of a drawer. Also, it means I can hang the press cloth loosely from my wrist when using it, yet the ribbon is long enough to pull the cloth over the next detail that needs pressing.

43 Responses to Make Yourself A Press Cloth

oh, golly, I just use an old linen teatowel. What a peasant I must be! I do understand the value of the semi-transparency of your silk organza. Nice point, nicely made. And I suppose I shall have to mend my ways. Ahem.

I am hanging out for some silk remnants from an online class I am taking right now, thinking at the time I began the class how clever it was the requirements called for silk organza so I would be able to obtain a nice silk organza press cloth with the remnants! These would make nice gifts for a sewing friend, wouldn’t they? Cute cat button, by the way!

I use a silk organza press cloth, having been ‘educated’ at a sewing class I took. BUT, just last week it tore because it had fallen to the floor and when I went to pick it up I didn’t realize I had my great clomping size 7 on the corner , so when I picked it up it tore ( it has seen a lot of use)!
So I love your loop idea and will be putting it to good use on my new cloth. Timely tip, thanks Karen.

Ha! I use a tea towel. But I have not had the sense to set one aside specially for this task, and cannot tell you how many times I have printed white fabric with ancient coffee stains from a “clean” tea towel. Shoot me now.

Alas, silk organza is does not exist in my little sewing desert. I have two ironing boards (one for actually ironing and one for sewing) and they each have a pressing cloth on them.

Should you get a subscription to Threads? I love Threads and since I discovered it in the late 80’s or early 90’s I haven’t missed an issue. I love it, and even when occasionally there is an issue that I feel less than thrilled about, invariably a couple of months later when I am looking at it again, I wonder what on earth was wrong with me, cause the issue is great. If I were you, I would get a DVD of all back issues. There is so much great information in that DVD.

I am hit-or-miss on the press cloth issue, as I mainly sew with cotton and linen in my climate. I have never owned any silk organza — don’t think I’ve ever seen any for sale in my local fabric stores. “Yes, definitely” to the Threads magazine question! Threads is as much a reference library as a bi-monthly magazine. I constantly refer to my back issues, which date back to the issues in the teens. I need to find and buy the earliest issues that I am still missing … DVDs are fine for now, but electronic technology changes rapidly, and the info on compact discs deteriorates over time. Paper can last for thousands of years.

Def subscribe to threads … I get mine through fibre craft/ George Weil … Best sewing mag in the world for those past the ” total beginner can’t sew a cushion stage” …too scary for a beginner. You would love seeing it arrive through the letter box … I do.

I use a purchased press cloth of heavy weight cotton, treated on one side and I’ve never been thrilled with it. I had NO IDEA I could use something else or make my own! Well, now I know, after looking at the Threads article. I subscribe to Threads; how did I miss that recent article? I love Threads even if all I do with it is look at the pictures. It’s a very useful and beautiful magazine, qualifying it to be in your house.

You offer such great tips. Although I use a press cloth made of muslin, the benefits of a silk organza press cloth are worth me switching my press cloth to be silk organza. Thanks for the recommendation lady!

I use a self-made silk organza press cloth as well, which I finished with a rolled hem on my serger. But, I hadn’t thought to mark the sides or to add a hanging loop. Thanks for the tip. And, I’ve often debated about getting Threads as well. I’ve learned a lot from their online site, but the DVD seems like such a large purchase… If you get it, you’ll have to let me know how much you use it.

Yup – I went and made myself an organza pressing cloth too. Somehow I managed to burn through it though (left the iron on for too long and it had run out of water) so I’m back to using a soft cotton tea towel. Not as opaque, but does the job. I took the plunge and subscribed to Threads last week – I’ve always stalked their website and the one issue I bought was SO interesting. I haven’t received any issues yet, but I say do it!

I just bought a bit (1/4 yd) of cheap, probably-not-very-nice silk organza for this very reason. I suppose I should stitch around the edges, right now it’s just cut in half! I also figured out that I could get a new pad for my ironing board and now I’m not getting those awful mesh marks – experience can certainly be a good teacher! But thank you for letting us learn from you instead of causing ourselves problems! 🙂 And I would say yes to Threads, I just subscribe a couple of months ago. It’s inspiring and informative and seems like it will be a great resource. I’m still at a relatively beginner stage of sewing, but I love getting it in the mail every couple months.

Hi Karen
I agree with you about the different qualities of silk, go for the best quality you can afford! The English Couture site is a definate favourite awesome quality in everything they sell! I have been subscribing to Threads for about 5 years now and agree with the other comments that a paper library is much more accessible than dvd, you can take the magazine to bed and dream of inspiring projects! (very sad, I know!!) Love the cat button and also endorse Raystitch!

Great piece! I too am in the tea towel gang but the semi-transparency or organza would be a huge help. Will invest. Do you find your point presser clapper worth it?

While we’re on the subject of pressing – does anyone have any good iron recommendations? I have a bog standard model, and while I don’t want to pay a fortune for a specialist model, I would be interested whether there are any models out there that are particularly suited to sewists.

Oh – any any tips on removing interfacing glue from the plate of your iron would be much appreciated 🙂

I have a “raja” cloth ( cotton impregnated with some sort of special chemical) for pressing but have been thinking how neat a silk organza cloth would be as it would be more see through. Great idea with the hanging loop-my cloth always ends up falling off my board as I move the garment between presses.

Yes, do get “Threads”, whether you subscribe or pick it up at the local sewing store. I discovered it at the public library, you can read it there too, and so wanted the material on hand at home when I need it. Just grabbed a copy yesterday at the store. Thanks regarding the tip on the quality of organza! Perhaps, we should all lobby the local sewing stores, in my case a chain store, to carry silk organza. Not much silk of any kind in our store!

FYI. The Dritz company makes silk press cloths. Wish I had thought of your button idea, as I do have glue on mine and need to get a new one so I can stop looking for clean places( which are getting smaller and smaller) Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for the tips! I grew up using my mother’s press cloth which was usually the back panel of one of my father’s old shirts. Did the job perfectly, but I appreciate the usefulness of the translucency of the organza. One for the wish list, but for now I am using a men’s white cotton hankie. 🙂

Wow, I am a total newby! All I want to do is iron my daughters Girl Scout Badges on without ruining them or my iron! Glad I decided to look up what a press cloth was! Woo! What is a tea towel???? Is it sad I am 32 and have never heard of either??? Time to go to the fabric store! Thanks for the tip!!!!